Mechanism for vibrating railroad hopper cars and the like



Sept. 23, 1958 G. PLANT 2,353,199

MECHANISM FOR VIBRATING RAILROAD HOPPER CARS AND THE LIKE Filed March 27 1956 4 Speets-Sheet 1 W f m 3 Le/and G. P/anfi m INVENTOR.

BY 7W MM;

Sept. 23, 1958 G. PLANT 2,853,199

MECHANISM FOR VIBRATING RAILROAD HOPPER CARS AND THE LIKE Filed March 27, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 0 E Leland a plum.

IN VEN TOR.

BY m

Sept. 23, 1958 PLANT 2,853,199

MECHANISM FOR VIBRATING RAILROAD HOPPER CARS AND THE LIKE Filed March 27, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Le/and 6 PM INVENTOR.

L. G. PLANT Sept. 23, 1958 MECHANISM FOR VIBRATING RAILROAD HOPPER CARS AND THE: LIKE Filed March 27. 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 L e/ana PM INVENTOR. Y yzwwfl.

United States Patent MECHANISM FOR VIBRATIN G RAILROAD HOPPER CARS AND THE LIKE Leland G. Plant, Edenton, N. C.; Pattie Louise Moore Plant, executrix of said Leland G. Plant, deceased Application March 27, 1956, Serial No. 574,194

9 Claims. (Cl. 21483.3)

This invention relates to new 'and useful improvements and structural refinements in machines for vibrating railway hopper cars to accelerate evacuation of their contents through open bottom doors, such machines being of the type disclosed in my Patent No. 2,673,651, issued March 30, 1954, and in my patent application Serial No. 251,437, filed October 15, 1951, now Patent No. 2,748,959, issued June 5, 1956.

The present invention includes certain features common with those disclosed in my earlier patent and application above mentioned, such as an eccentrically weighted rotor shaft with power means for rapidly spinning the same, a frame adapted at its upper end to engage the top edge of a hopper car, a sub-frame adapted to bear against the side of the car substantially at floor level of the latter, and mechanism for attaching and detaching these parts to and from the car by power means subject to manual control.

The principal object of the present invention is, however, to provide a machine of this type which is particularly adapted for use on standard types of hopper cars having an air brake pipe line bracketed to an angle member at the lower edge of the side wall of the car, the machine being clamped to the car in such manner that proper clearance is afforded for the air brake pipe line and that parts of the machine do not bounce or hammer loosely upon the car as often occurs with machines of conventional types.

Briefly, in accordance with the present invention, an eccentrically weighted shaft is rotated in bearings provided either in side plates of a frame adapted to engage the top edge of a hopper car or in side plates of a subframe adapted to bear against the side wall of the car substantially at floor level, the side plates of the frame and sub-frame being pivoted together so that when not contacting the car they may assume a substantially vertical position, but may be rotated to a relatively angular position to engage the car, as above mentioned. Although the pivoted connection between the frame and subframe has previously been employed for a similar purpose, an important feature of the present invention resides in the provision of novel means for locking the frame and sub-frame in any desired angular relation so that power means which are utilized for shifting the frame and sub-frame relative to each other are not relied upon for holding the same in a fixed relation while the rotor shaft is spinning.

With the foregoing more important object and features in view and such other objects and features as may become apparent as this specification proceeds, the invention resides in the arrangement of parts and details of construction substantially as shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein like characters of reference are used to designate like parts, and wherein:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of the invention hanging adjacent but clear of a hopper car, a portion of the latter being shown in section over a receiving hopper;

Figure 2 is an elevational view of the invention per se,

taken substantially in the plane of the line 2-2 in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an elevational view, taken substantially in the plane of the line 33 in Figure 2 and showing the machine in position to be supported by the side wall of the car;

Figure 4 is a sectional detail on an enlarged scale, taken substantially in the plane of the line 44 in Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a sectional detail, similar to that shown in Figure 4 but illustrating the parts in a position when they engage the side wall of the car as in Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale, taken substantially in the plane of the line 6-6 in Figure 2;

Figure 7 is a sectional view, similar to that shown in Figure 6 but illustrating the parts in a position when the machine engages the side wall of a car as in Figure 3;

Figure 8 is a diagrammatic view of one of the valves used in the invention;

Figure 9 is an elevational view of a modified embodiment of the invention supported by the side wall of the car;

Figure 10 is a fragmentary sectional view of the machine shown in Figure 9, the same being taken from a plane parallel to that from which Figure 9 is seen; and

Figure 11 is a sectional view of the machine shown in Figures 9 and 10, but hanging clear of the hopper car.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, particularly to Figures 1-8, the machine embodies in its construction a frame consisting of a pair of arm-shaped plates 1 which are rigidly secured together by cross braces in, the upper end portion of each plate being in the form of an inverted hook equipped with a wear plate 4 for engagement with the top edge of a side wall 19 of a hopper car, as is best shown in Figure 3.

The machine also embodies a sub-frame comprising a pair of parallel side plates 2 rigidly secured to a shaft 2a and each having a lower portion equipped with a buffer block 5 contoured to rest broadly against the car side wall 19 at whatever angle the sub-frame has to be rotated relative to the frame to effect such a contact while the frame is booked at the upper edge of the side wall.

In the modified form of the invention shown in Figures 9l1, the plates 21 of the frame are rigidly secured together by cross braces 21a and provided at their upper ends with inverted hooks fitted with cast manganese wear pads 24. The sub-frame comprises a pair of side plates 22 secured to a shaft 22a and equipped with cast manganese buifer blocks 25 to rest broadly against the car side wall 19.

The shaft 2a, fixed to the sub-frame and rigidly connecting the side plates 2 projects beyond these plates into bearings 3 provided in the plates 1 of the frame. If desired, as an alternative arrangement the plates 1 may be secured to the shaft 2a and the latter rotatably journalled in bearings carried by the plates 2, suitable cross braces being employed to rigidly secure the plates 2 together.

In either event, the shaft 2a functions as a fulcrum or hinge pin between the frame and sub-frame, whereby the sub-frame may be moved into various angular relations to the frame.

A pair of coaxial bearings 8 are provided with housings 8a in the sub-frame plates 2 and support an eccentrically weighted shaft 3b in a position substantially parallel to the car side wall 19. The housings 8a of the two bearings may be connected by a cylindrical casing surrounding the eccentrically weighted shaft 811 and serving both as an enclosure for the shaft 812 and as a cross connection between the plates 2.

In the embodiment of Figures 9-11, the frame and sub frarne are also pivotally or hingedly connected together by the shaft 22a to which the plates 22 are secured, the shaft 22a being rotatably journalled in bearings 23 carried by the plates 21. Also if desired, the plates 21 may be secured to the shaft 22a and the latter journalled in bearings carried by the plates 22. In either event, the plates 21 are provided with housings 28 for bearings having an eccentrically weighted shaft 28:: rotatable therein and, as in the embodiment of Figures l-8, the bearing housings 28 may be connected together with a rigid, cylindrical casing surrounding the shaft 28a.

Mounted upon one of the aforementioned bearing housings So at the outside of the associated plate 2 is a fluid power motor 9 which is operatively connected to the shaft 812 for rotating the same at high speed. The motor 9 is supported by a cylindrical mount 9a which is preferably in two sections, one of which is secured to the associated bearing housing 811 and extends outwardly therefrom sufliciently to enclose a flexible coupling between the motor 9 and the shaft 8b. The second section of the mount is bolted to the first section and encases a resilient bushing in which the motor 9 is tightly but yieldably held in alignment with the shaft 8b. The driving means for the shaft 28a in the modified form of Figures 9-11 is substantially the same as that described above, the motor being shown at 29 and the motor mount at 29a.

As an appendage to the sub frame, a hook member 11 provided with a counter-weight 11a is slidably pivoted upon a shaft 11b extending between the plates 2. This hook member is actuated by rotation of the shaft 11b which is effected by a hydraulic cylinder 12 through the medium of a crank 12b on the shaft 11b and links 13, 13a connecting the parts 11 and 11a in a toggle arrangement. The are in which the hook member may rotate is limited by a bar 110 which extends between the plates 2.

When the bar 110 is contacted as the shaft 11b continues to turn, it causes the hook member and its counterweight to slide on the shaft in response to the action of the toggle links 13, 13a, so as to draw the hook member inwardly with respect to the sub-frame. Moreover, as the sub-frame is moved toward a horizontal position in which it rests against the car side wall 19 at a controlled height, the hook member rises inside the car wall, clearing the usual air brake pipe line 20, as shown in Figure 5. Thereupon, by a controlled action of the cylinder 12, the hook member 11 is drawn toward the sub-frame until the faces of the blocks are clamped firmly against the car wall 19.

In the modified form of the invention shown in Figures 9-11, the hook member 31 is actuated in substantially the same manner by a hydraulic cylinder 32 which causes the shaft 31b and the cranks 31d and 32b thereon to rotate, producing a toggle action through the links 33 so as to clamp the sub-frame with its buffer blocks 25 firmly against the car side wall 19 or, when released therefrom, to hang down from the sub-frame when the latter is returned to its vertical position when the machine is inoperative.

The angular disposition of the frame plates 1 relative to the sub-frame plates 2 is altered by a hydraulic cylinder secured at its head end to one of the cross braces 1a and having its piston 10a connected to crank arms 10b on the shaft 2a. In the embodiment of Figures 9-l1 the same movement is effected by a hydraulic cylinder 30 connected to the cross brace 21a and acting through a crank 30b upon the shaft 22a.

In order to lock the frame and the sub-frame in an angular relation to each other there is provided a block 16 with oppositely shaped wedge faces, the block 16 being carried by one of the braces 1a. Within the subframe there are provided two arms 15, equipped with buffer plates a having spirally contoured faces which may be wedged against the wedge faces of the block 16 at any one of the various angles which the frame may assume relative to the sub-frame when the machine is placed in an operative position upon cars of varying dimensions. The arms 15 rotate with shafts 14 and 14b to which they are secured by a hydraulic cylinder and spring-actuated piston unit 17, the latter including a double-acting hydraulic cylinder 17a connected to a crank 17c on the shaft 14, and a spring cylinder 17b housing a coil spring 17c in engagement with a piston head 17d. The piston connected to the head 17d is, in turn, connected to a crank 17g secured to the shaft 14b. The shafts 14, 14b are journalled in bearings 14a carried by the plates 2.

The cylinders 12 and 17a are hydraulically connected in parallel by suitable ducts 1811, so that fluid under pressure supplied to one cylinder is also supplied to the other. The piston end of each cylinder is connected to the head end of the other cylinder and the ducts 18a are in communication with a single control valve unit 18 so that when the frame and sub-frame are wedged rigidly to maintain a fixed angularity between them, the hook member 11 has clasped the sub-frame tightly against the side wall 19 of the car. The valve unit 18 is supplied with fluid under pressure through either one of two ducts 18b and is discharged through a duct 180. Thus, as shown in Figure 6, fluid under pressure is supplied to the piston end of the cylinder 12 and to the head end of the cylinder 170, while fluid is released from the opposite ends of these cylinders. This flow of fluid and cylinder action resulting therefrom is reversed in Figure 7, and when it is desired to prevent flow of fluid to and from both cylinders, the valve unit 18 is turned to the position shown in Figure 8.

The above described structure will function for maintaining the machine in a tightly wedged and firmly clasped position on the car while the eccentrically weighted shaft 8b is being rapidly rotated to produce an effective vibration of the car to which the machine is attached. However, unless the valve unit 18 can be kept open, a minute seepage of fluid past the pistons of the cylinders 12, 17a will permit either or both the wedge-faced arms 15 and the hook member 11 to become slack, with the result that the sub-frame will either become loose and bounce against the side wall of the car or relative fluctuation of the frame and sub-frame will occur. If the control valve 18 remains open, fluid in quantity equal to the capacity of the supply pump is continuously forced to it, all such fluid not passing to the cylinders but escaping through the usual pressure relief valve set at high pressure, thus resulting in a constant load and undesirable power demand upon the pump.

This condition is avoided in the instant invention while maintaining high fluid pressure in the cylinders by the provision of the coil spring 17c in the cylinder 17b. When the piston of the hydraulic cylinder 17a is retracted, the cranks 17a and 17g are drawn toward each other to produce the aforementioned wedging effect of the arms 15 upon the block 16. The spring may compress, for example, at the rate of 1 inch under a pressure of 3,000 lbs., so that it is compressed 3 inches when a pressure of 9,000 lbs. is built up in the cylinder 1711. When the spring is thus compressed, a slight seepage of fluid past the piston of the cylinder 17a will merely permit the spring 17c to relax slightly, thereby reducing the clamping action of the arms 15 by only a few hundred pounds.

In the modified embodiment of Figures 9-11 the spring 320 is disposed in a casing 32 at the head end of the cylinder 32.

The machine is adapted to be suspended from an overhead beam at oneside of the track on which cars are placed to be unloaded. The machine may be raised or lowered as required by suitable hoisting means, and suspension of the machine from the overhead beam may be by a trolley, permitting the machine to be shifted in parallel to the track to facilitate attachment of the machine to any one of a number of different cars. The

machine is suspended by suitable cables 6 having a trapeze bar 7 thereon, so that the arms 1 are disposed vertically when the machine is in suspension. The modifled form of the invention shown in Figures 9-11 is suspended by cables 26 having a trapeze bar 27. In either event, when the machine is clamped to the car, the suspension cable is slacked so that vibration of the machine is not transmitted by'the cables to the overhead support.

With further reference to the modified form of the invention shown in Figures 9-11, it will be noted that the locking action of the frame and sub-frame is effected by coacting wedge-shaped plates 35 engageable with cross bars 36 extending between the plates 21 and actuated by a hydraulic cylinder 37 connected at its head end to one of the plates 35 and provided with a piston rod 37a connected to' the other plate;

Having thus described the construction of the invention, the operation thereof will now be explained.

When a loaded hopper car is placed in position to have the machine attached thereto, the piston 10a in the cylinder 10 is retracted to allow the frame plates 1 to drop over the top of the car side wall 19. Then, as retraction of the piston 10a continues, the sub-frame plates 2 assume a position in which they rest against the side wall 19 as shown in Figure 3, with the exception that the hook member 11 is still extended relative to the sub-frame.

While these movements are being made, the suspension cables 6 are slackened and fluid pressure is applied to the head end of the cylinder 12 and to the piston end of the cylinder 17a, whereby to produce the wedging and clasping effect which results when the various parts are moved from the position shown in Figures 1, 4 and 6 to the position shown in Figures 3, 5 and 7.

To unclasp and withdraw the wedge action, fluid pressure is released from the head end of the cylinder 12 and from the piston end of the cylinder 17a, and is applied to the respective opposite ends of these cylinders. The piston 10a is permitted to move outwardly by release of fluid pressure from the cylinder 10 until the plates 2 hang downwardly. The cables 6 are then actuated until the weight of the machine is taken from the top edge of the side wall 19, at which point the machine hangs free of the car and vertically as shown in Figure 1.

In the modified form of the invention shown in Figures 9-11, the parts are manipulated substantially as described above and perform substantially the same functions. Thus, the plates 21 are dropped over the top edge of the car wall 19 and the side plates 22 are raised until the edges of their buffer plates 25 rest broadly against the car wall, both of these movements being eflected by actuation of the cylinder while the cables 26 are slackened. The hook member 31 is then drawn into position to clasp the plates 22, 25 tightly against the car side wall while at the same time the frame and sub-frame are locked in fixed angular relation by wedging the arms 35 against the cross bars 36, both of these movements being effected simultaneously by the cylinders 32 and 37.

Release of the machine from its clamping position on a car is accomplished by a reversal of the foregoing operations.

When the machine is attached to the car, the eccentrically weighted shaft thereof is rapidly rotated whereby to produce the desired vibrating action which is transmitted to the car for assisting in discharging the contents thereof. It is to be noted that this vibrating action is directed against thecar mainly in a horizontal direction substantially at the floor level of the car, thereby minimizing and bouncing or pounding upon the car wall and reducing to a large extent the destructive hammering and objectionable noise commonly associated with conventional machines of this type.

While in the foregoing there have been described and shown the preferred embodiments of the invention, various modifications may become apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention relates. Accordingly, it is not desired to limit the invention to this disclosure and various modifications may be resorted to, such as may lie within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed as new is:

1. In a car body vibrating machine, the combination of a frame including a main frame body adapted to engage the top edge of a car body wall and a sub-frame hinged to'said main frame body, hook means provided on said sub-frame and adapted to engage a lower portion of the stated wall for clamping the sub-frame against the latter, power means for actuating said hook means, an eccentrically weighted shaft rotatably journalled in said frame for imparting vibration thereto, power means for rotating said shaft, and wedge means for locking said sub-frame in a fixed relation to said main frame body.

2. In a car body vibrating machine, the combination of a frame including a main frame body adapted to engage the top edge of a car body wall and a sub-frame hinged to said main frame body, hook means provided on said sub-frame and adapted to engage a lower portion of the stated wall for clamping the sub-frame against the latter, power means for actuating said hooks means, an eccentrically weighted shaft rotatably journalled in said frame for imparting vibration thereto, power means for rotating said shaft, wedge means for locking said sub-frame in a fixed relation to said main frame body, and power means for actuating said wedge means.

3. In a car body vibrating machine, the combination of a jointed frame including a main frame body adapted to engage the top edge of a car side wall and a sub-frame pivoted to said main frame body, a power driven eccentrically weighted rotor journalled in said jointed frame for imparting vibration thereto, movable hook means provided on said sub-frame and adapted to engage a lower portion of the stated wall, toggle linkage operatively connected to said hook means, and a hydraulic cylinder for actuating said linkage, whereby said sub-frame may be clamped against the stated side wall by said hook means.

4. In a car body vibrating machine, the combination of a frame adapted to engage the top edge of a car side wall, a power driven eccentrically weighted rotor journalled in said frame for imparting vibration thereto, movable hook means carried by said frame and adapted to engage a lower portion of the stated wall, toggle linkage operatively connected to said hook means, and a hydraulic cylinder for actuating said linkage, whereby said frame may be clamped against the stated side wall by said hook means.

5. In a car body vibrating machine, the combination of a frame adapted to engage the top edge of a car side wall, a power driven eccentrically Weighted rotor journalled in said frame for imparting vibration thereto, movable hook means carried by said frame and adapted to engage a lower portion of the stated wall, crank means operatively connected to said hook means, a hydraulic cylinder for actuating said crank means whereby said frame may be clamped against the stated side wall by said hook means, and a compression spring operatively connected to said hydraulic cylinder whereby to compensate for loss of fluid pressure therein.

6. In a car body vibrating machine, the combination of a frame adapted to engage the top edge of a car side Wall, a power driven eccentrically weighted rotor journalled in said frame for imparting vibration thereto, movable hook means carried by said frame and adapted to engage a lower portion of the stated wall, crank means operatively connected to said hook means, a hydraulic cylinder for actuating said crank means whereby said frame may be clamped against the stated side wall by said hook means, and resilient means operatively connected to said hydraulic cylinder whereby to compensate for loss of fluid pressure therein.

7. In a car body vibrating machine, the combination of a jointed frame including a main frame body adapted to engage the top edge of a car side wall and a sub-frame pivoted to said main frame body, a power driven eccentrically weighted rotor journalled in said jointed frame for imparting vibration thereto, movable hook means provided on said sub-frame and adaptedto engage a lower portion of the stated wall, a hydraulic cylinder, and means operatively connecting said cylinder to said hook means, whereby said sub-frame may be clamped against the stated side wall by the hook means.

8. In a car body vibrating machine, the combination of a frame adapted to engage the top edge of a carside wall, a power driven eccentrically-weighted rotor journalled in said frame for imparting vibration thereto, movable hook means carried by said frame and adapted to engage a lower portion of the stated wall, a hydraulic cylinder, and means operatively connecting said cylinder to said hook means, whereby said frame'may be clamped against the stated side wall by the hook means.

9. In a car body vibrating machine, the combination of a frame adapted to engage the top edge of a car side cylinder whereby to compensate for loss of fluid pressure therein. I

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES-PATENTS 2,621,813 Bauerle et al. Dec. 16,1952 2,673,651 Plant Mar. 30, 1954 2,748,959 Plant n June 5, 1956 

